Contest Update Issues

Contester's Rate Sheet for October 23, 2002

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Contester's Rate Sheet
23 October 2002
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Edited by Ward Silver, N0AX
SUMMARY
o CQ WW SSB and Sweepstakes CW hit the airwaves!!
o Contests-within-a-contest: the Running of the Bulls and the
Collegiate Championship
o Go fill out the ARRL VHF Contests and Awards Survey - it closes 31
Oct
o On-line goodies and stories
o Another N6TJ "Secrets of Contesting"
BULLETINS
o As we head into the busiest part of the contest calendar, it would
behoove us all to make the job of the log checkers and log-handling
robots easier by taking the time to double-check our PC
clock-calendars and logging program settings. Is your clock accurate?
Is the date correct? Is the logging program set to record UTC/GMT
correctly? With every contest, the suffering contest managers receive
logs with times off by hours, days, even years. N5KO reports receiving
a log 100 YEARS off! Yeah, I know, all of our gear is just perfect,
but let's take five minutes and be sure. It will be greatly
appreciated.
BUSTED QSOS
o Additional CQ WW 160-Meter rule changes - single-operators are now
limited to 30 hours operating time which will reduce boring CQ's and
low rates during daylight hours. Also, the Web page is actually
http://www.cq-amateur-radio.com/infoc.html. (Thanks, Bill W4ZV)
ANNOUNCEMENT & NOTICES FOR 23 OCTOBER TO 5 NOVEMBER 2002
Logs are due for the following contests:
o October 27, 2002 - EU Autumn Sprint, CW - email to:
eusprint@kkn.net, paper logs to: Karel Karmasin, OK2FD, Gen. Svobody
636, 674 01 Trebic, Czech Republic
o October 27, 2002 - Asia-Pacific Sprint, CW - email to:
apsprint@kkn.net, paper logs to: (none)
o October 28, 2002 - Alabama QSO Party - email to: dxcc@dbtech.net,
paper logs to: The Alabama QSO Party, 4525 Eastern Hills Lane,
Cottondale, AL 35453, USA
o October 28, 2002 - 10-10 Day Sprint - email to: (none), paper logs
to: Steve Rasmussen, N0WY, 312 N. 6th Street, Plattsmouth, NE 68048,
USA
o October 31, 2002 - ALARA Contest - e-mail: gdsyme@hotmail.com, paper
logs to: Mrs. Marilyn Syme, VK3DMS, 99 Magnolia Avenue, Mildura 3500
VIC, Australia
o October 31, 2002 - All Asian DX Contest, SSB - email to:
aaph@jarl.or.jp, paper logs to: JARL, All Asian DX Contest, SSB,
170-8073, Japan
o October 31, 2002 - Scandinavian Activity Contest, CW/SSB - email to:
sac@contesting.com, paper logs to: EDR Contest Manager, Peter
Vestergard, OZ5WQ, Vestervej 74, DK-4960 Holeby, Denmark
o October 31, 2002 - Collegiate QSO Party - email to:
qsoparty@collegiatehams.com, paper logs to: CARA, PO Box 150232,
Alexandria, VA 22315-0232, USA
o October 31, 2002 - Washington State Salmon Run - email to:
salmonrun@wwdxc.org, paper logs to: Western Washington DX Club, PO Box
395, Mercer Island, WA 98040, USA
o October 31, 2002 - CQ/RJ Worldwide DX Contest, RTTY - email to:
rtty@cqww.com, paper logs to: CQ/RJ WW RTTY Contest, 25 Newbridge
Road, Hicksville, NY 11801, USA
o October 31, 2002 - Texas QSO Party - email to: k5vuu@arrl.net, paper
logs to: Texas QSO Party Committee, 17007 Hillview Lane, Spring, TX
77379, USA
o October 31, 2002 - Louisiana QSO Party - email to: laqp@tchams.org,
paper logs to: TCHC Contest Committee, PO Box 1871, West Monroe, LA
71294, USA
o November 2, 2002 - TARA PSK31 Rumble - post score to:
http://http://www.qsl.net/wm2u/score.html, paper logs to: (none)
o November 5, 2002 - QCWA QSO Party - email to: (none), paper logs to:
Dick Newsome, W0HXI, 2924 North 48th Street, Omaha, NE 68104-3726, USA
The following contests are scheduled:
Note that the following abbreviations are used to condense the contest
rules summaries:
SO - Single-Op; M2 - Multiop - 2 Transmitters; MO - Multi-Op; MS -
Multi-Op, Single Transmitter; MM - Multi-Op, Multiple Transmitters; AB
- All Band; SB - Single Band; S/P/C - State/Province/DXCC Entity; HP -
High Power; LP - Low Power; Entity - DXCC Entity
CQ Worldwide DX Contest--SSB, sponsored by CQ Magazine, 0000Z Oct
26--2400Z Oct 27. (CW is 0000Z Nov 23--2400Z Nov 24). Frequencies:
160-10 meters. Categories: SOAB and SOSB (HP >100W, LP, QRP <5W), MS,
MM. MS have 10 minute rule. Exchange RS(T) and CQ zone. QSO Points:
same cont--1 pts (NA stations count 2 pts), diff cont--3 pts. Stations
in the same country may be worked for zone credit only. Score: QSO
points x CQ Zones + DXCC entities + WAE countries counted once per
band. For more information - http://www.cqww.com. Logs due Dec 1 (Jan
15 for CW ) to ssb@cqww.com (CW logs to cw@cqww.com) or to CQ
Magazine, 25 Newbridge Rd, Hicksville, NY 11801, USA.
ARRL International EME Contest, 0000Z Oct 26--2400Z Oct 27.
Frequencies: any band at or above 50 MHz. Categories: SOAB, SOSB, MO,
Commercial. Exchange: signal report. QSO Points: 100 pts/QSO. Score:
QSO points x W/VE call areas + DXCC entities (counted once per band).
For more information--
http://www.arrl.org/contests/rules/2002/eme-rules.html. Logs due 30
days after the contest to emecontest@arrl.org or EME Contest, ARRL,
225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111.
10-10 CW/Digital Contest--sponsored by Ten-Ten International, 0001Z
Oct 26 - 2400Z Oct 27. Frequencies: 10-meters only. Categories: SO.
Exchange call/name/state and 10-10 number (if available). QSO Points:
nonmembers -- 1 pt, members -- 2 pts. Score is total points. For more
information - http://www.ten-ten.org. Logs due Nov 12 to Steve
Rasmussen N0WY, 312 N 6th Street, Plattsmouth, NE 68048-1302.
ARRL November Sweepstakes--CW, 2100Z Nov 2 to 0300Z Nov 4.
Frequencies: 80 - 10 meters, work stations only once. Categories:
SOAB-LP (A), HP (B), QRP (Q), SO-Unlimited (U), MS (M), School Club
(S). Exchange: Serial number, Category (precedence), Call, Check (last
two digits of first year licensed), and ARRL section. QSO Points: 2
pts/QSO. Score: QSO points x sections (counted only once). For more
information -
http://www.arrl.org/contests/rules/2002/nov-sweeps-rules.html. Logs
due 4 Dec to sscw@arrl.org or to November SS CW or November SS Phone,
ARRL, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111.
ARCI Running of the QRP Bulls--CW, sponsored by the QRP ARCI. This is
a mini-contest that runs during the CW Sweepstakes for QRP stations.
For more information and to register as a Bull or Matador at
http://personal.palouse.net/rfoltz/arci/bulls.htm.
North American Collegiate ARC Championship--CW. This is a competition
based on Sweepstakes results between club stations at institutions of
higher learning beyond the high school level. Clubs enter Sweepstakes
in any of the valid entry categories. Separate champions will be
determined for CW, Phone and Combined scores. For more
information--http://www.collegiatechampionship.org/.
High Speed Club CW Contest, sponsored by the Radio Telegraphy High
Speed Club (HSC) from 0900Z to 1100Z and 1500Z to 1700Z Nov 3.
Frequencies: 80-10 meters, 10-30 kHz above band edge. Categories:
SOAB-LP (<150W), SOAB-QRP (<5W), SWL. Exchange: RST + serial number +
HSC member number (if avail.). QSO Points: own continent--1 pt, diff
cont--3 pts. Score: QSO points x DXCC entities and WAE countries. For
more information--http://www.hsc.de.cx/. Logs due 6 weeks after the
contest to hsc-contest@dl3bzz.de or Lutz Schröer, DL3BZZ, HSC
Contest-Manager, Am Niederfeld 6, 35066 Frankenberg, Germany
IPA Contest--Phone/CW, sponsored by The International Police
Association Radio Club. CW from 0600Z to 1000Z and 1400Z to 1800Z Nov
2, Phone from 0600Z to 1000Z and 1400Z to 1800Z Nov 4. Frequencies:
80-10 meters with 15-minute band change rule. Categories: SOAB, MS, MM
and SWL. Exchange RST + serial number (IPARC members send "IPA" +
state if US). QSO Points: 1 pt/QSO, IPARC members--5 pts/ QSO. Score:
QSO points x DXCC entities + US states counted once per band.
Multipliers are only counted for QSOs with IPARC members. For more
information--http://www.iparc.com/Contests/contests.html. Logs due Dec
31 to dl8kcg@darc.de or Uwe Greggersen, DL8KCG, Hurststr 9, D-51645
Gummersbach, Germany
Brazilian VHF Contest--FM/SSB/CW, sponsored by LABRE São Paulo from
0000Z Nov 3 to 2400Z Nov 4. Frequencies: 6-m, 2-m, and 70-cm bands.
Categories: SOAB, SOSB, MS, SWL. Exchange: RST + 6-digit Grid Locator.
QSO Points: 6-meters--1 pt, 2-meters--2 pts, 70-cm--3 pts, x1 for FM,
x2 for CW/SSB. Score: QSO points x 4-digit Grid Squares counted once
per band and mode. For more information--http://www.qsl.net/vhf-dx.
Logs due 2 Dec to cbvu@50mhz.com or LABRE/SP--CBVU--Brazilian VHF/UHF
DX Contest, PO Box 22, CEP 01059-970, Sao Paulo, SP, BRAZIL
Ukranian DX Contest--CW/SSB/RTTY, sponsored by the Ukrainian Amateur
Radio League and the Ukrainian Contest Club from 1200Z Nov 3 to 1200Z
Nov 4. Frequencies: 160-10-meters, with 10-minute band change rule.
Categories: SOAB, SOAB-QRP (<5W), SOAB-RTTY, SOSB, MS, MM, SWL.
Exchange: RST + serial number (+ Ukranian region). QSO Points: same
country--1 pt, same continent--2 pts, different cont--3 pts, Ukranian
station--10 pts. Score: QSO points x DXCC entities + WAE countries +
Ukranian regions. For more information--http://www.qsl.net/ucc/. Logs
due 30 days after the contest to urdx@ampr.kiev.uÁ or to Ukrainian
Contest Club HQ, PO Box 4850, Zaporizhzhe, 69118, Ukraine.
DARC 10-Meter Digital "Corona"--RTTY/AMTOR/PACTOR/PSK31/Clover,
sponsored by Deutscher Amateur Radio Club from 1100Z to 1700Z Nov 3.
Frequencies: 28050-28150 kHz, work stations once per mode. Categories:
SO, SWL. Exchange: RST + serial number. QSO Points: 1pt/QSO. Score:
QSO points x DXCC entities + WAE countries + JA/VE/W call districts
(all counted only once). For more information--
http://www.darc.de/referate/dx/cqdlcont/corona02.htm. Logs due 4 weeks
after the contest to df5bx@darc.de or Werner Ludwig, DF5BX, PO Box
1270, D-49110 Georgsmarienhuette, Germany.
NEWS & PRESS RELEASES
The ARRL VHF Contest and Awards Survey is still open for your input.
Check out http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2002/10/07/1/?nc=1 or
download the PDF file at
http://www.arrl.org/contests/announcements/vhf-survey.pdf=20.
Responses are due back to the ARRL by October 31st. Also from the ARRL
Contest Desk comes the news that contest certificates in the new
format are on-hand and being processed - look for those big envelopes
in the mail soon.
Check out the new format for contest announcements on page 114 of the
November issue of QST. The idea is to attract the casual contester
with a less legalistic set of rules and some good ideas about why the
contest would be fun to participate in. Now, if we could just get the
announcements moved up to page 1!
For those of you that are wondering about the WRTC awards, "Please
QRX!" says Timo OH1NOA. "We received over 1500 logs, so this takes
some time." Having suffered through the aftermath of WRTC myself in
1990, I can sympathize. Chill out, fellas - don't you have a contest
to operate in or something?
While not directly contest related, the "Team Zone 2" contest group
has been given experimental authorization by Industry Canada to
conduct tests on the 60 meter amateur band. These will be the first
ever operations on 60 meters from Canada and will take place on
October 22nd, 23rd and 24th and possibly at other times if time
allows. While only a couple of USA stations have authorization to
transmit on 60-meters, reception reports will be welcome. Check out
the schedule for VA2BY at http://www.qsl.net/teamzone2. (Thanks, Bob
VE3SRE on behalf of Team Zone 2)
In light of the EME contest this month, it bears mentioning that 2002
is the thirtieth anniversary of the first amateur EME QSO. If you'd
like a good read about how it came about, point your browser at
http://www.rcallen.com/eme50.htm. (Thanks, Tree N6TR)
TECHNICAL & TECHNIQUE
If you'd like to print custom azimuthal-equidistant maps (sometimes
called "great circle maps") from any QTH, a good on-line source is
http://www.wm7d.net/azproj.shtml/. Kudos to Joe NA3T, Michael NV3Z,
and Mark WM7D.
Another useful on-line source of goodies is the ARRL Field and
Emergency Services forms list at
http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/forms/. In particular, FSD-218 - "The
Amateur Message Form" - is a handy thing to have in the emergency
operations gear.
Are you tuning up your tower for use on 160 this winter? If you have
the nice problem of a tower that is electrically too tall, you might
want to make some of the bottom of your tower "disappear." In his book
"Low-Band Dxing" ON4UN presents a method of detuning a tower (page
11-21 in the 2nd edition) that can be adapted to such a purpose. Place
a shunt wire (with a large variable capacitor in series) along the
length of tower that you wish to detune. Excite the tower above the
shunt and use a current transformer to monitor the current in the
shunt wire - adjust the capacitor for maximum current (in the detuning
network, not the tower). Note that the ON4UN description says tune for
a minimum, but this application is slightly different. (Thanks to Tree
N6TR and Tom W8JI)
As long as we're on the subject of low-band verticals - if you're
looking for large tubing to put up that four-square array or full-size
vertical, be sure to check the agricultural sections of local or
regional papers. Surplus irrigation pipe - generally 3" diameter with
wall thicknesses of around 0.050" - is often available at a fraction
of the cost of new.
Need a manual for your Hy-Gain antenna? They are available on-line at
the Hy-Gain web site: http://www.hy-gain.com. (Thanks, Mel VE2DC)
CONVERSATION
Since N6TJ will be yet again at ZD8Z putting Zone 38 in a lot of logs
this coming weekend, it seems appropriate to include another of Jim's
"Secrets of Contesting"...this one conclusively demonstrates that
contesting is good for you!
"Many have probably heard of the Yale University research findings
that if you THINK YOUNG, you will extend your life (on the average)
ANOTHER SEVEN AND ONE-HALF YEARS. And further, that this singular
"habit" is more important to your health than factors such as blood
pressure and cholesterol. Can you imagine this?
"Thusly, I hereby announce that I have extended my personal goal of
SERIOUS contest expeditions until I am Age 100. That's another 37
years, or ANOTHER 3 SOLAR MAXIMA! Wow. And then when I reach 100, I'll
decide if I'll go another 5 years, or not. And another 5, and so on. I
hope you all will be around to celebrate this with me. Some are
probably saying, 'How silly is this? Neiger has definitely and finally
gone over the edge!'
"My challenge to ALL of you: please sign up to this plan of (1)
thinking young, and (2) dumping pathetic excuses of WHY YOU CANNOT hit
the contest DXpedition trail this fall, or putting in MAJOR efforts
from home this and every year.
"What if Yale is right? You, at least may benefit the most. And the
rest will derive great benefit from your activity, and many more
multipliers! And having our radio friends with us for so many more
years, we all win. And what has been on many of our minds, the bad
notions that ham radio, and contests are dying (at least in the USA),
and have a limited future, are, as they say 'a little premature.'
"Maybe we can't attract many youngsters into the hobby. But we
certainly have the potential to EXTEND our useful contesting
lifetimes. And I may not make the Top Ten every year, but at least if
won't be for want of a serious effort. Please join me in this quest.
And thank you for reading this far. Vy 73, Jim Neiger N6TJ"
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Contester's Rate Sheet wishes to acknowledge information from the
following sources:
WA7BNM's Contest Calendar Web page -
http://http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/ ARRL Contest page -
http://http://www.arrl.org/contests/
SM3CER's Web site - http://http://www.sk3bg.se/contest/